SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
May 5, 2022
Sullivan’s Salvos 5/10/22
In this edition:
*Happy Birthday Zuri!
*RIP Verne Kelley
*Roe V. Wade
*Foster Care and Adoption Month
*Carol Spaziani Celebration of Life
*Zabner for HD90
*ARPA Funds at Work!
*Did You Know?
*Happy Birthday Zuri!
May 10th marks the 5th birthday of Ms. Zuri Foote, our first grandchild! I can honestly say that being a grandfather is the best gig I have ever had! And Zuri makes it easy! She is sweet, kind, fun, and smart!
I found the following stats about grandparents today. I would have to say that I am in the majority in every category:
72% think being a grandparent is the single most important and satisfying thing in their life.
63% say they can do a better job caring for grandchildren than they did with their own kids.
68% think being a grandparent brings them closer to their adult children.
90% enjoy talking about their grandkids to just about everyone.
I should mention that I am really proud of my daughter Rachel – Zuri’s mom. Rachel has done a great job as a mother, and I could not be more pleased with her.
Happy Birthday, Zuri! Papa loves you!
*RIP Verne Kelley
Johnson County lost a true giant with the recent passing of Verne Kelley. Verne started the Mideast Iowa Community Health Center (now Abbe Health) and served as its Executive Director for many years until his retirement. Verne was a true pioneer in community based mental health care. He was also among the founders of the Crisis Center (now CommUnity Crisis Services).
Verne was a very accomplished individual. He served in World War II, then earned BSW, MSW, and Ph.Ds. Verne had been named Iowa’s Social Worker of the Year, and President of Mental Health Association of Iowa. He and his wife Pat were 2007 inductees to the Johnson County Democratic Party Hall of Fame.
I knew Verne. He was a good man who made a real difference in the lives of thousands of Johnson County residents. RIP.
*Roe V. Wade
The leaked draft of a Supreme Court decision overturning Roe V. Wade has put the US on alert – Roe is likely to be gone after the Supreme Court rules in June. I am thinking of all the women whose lives are being so casually dismissed. My prayers are with you, and you have my support.
We can (and should) talk about how and why this is happening. This is a decades-long political strategy by the right finally paying off. They have worked incessantly for 50 years to get conservative judges appointed at every level, while at the same time blocking more liberal judges. They have focused on State Legislatures and won them. Perhaps most importantly, they have created a right-wing media powerhouse that rules the radio, tv, and internet. The GOP has out-planned and outworked the Democrats. Plus they are willing to cheat. Those three qualities make them formidable.
That is how we got here. But we also need to talk about what comes next. For starters, I hope there is an outcry. Politicians need to know this is the type of thing that can and will get them voted out of office. I hope that outcry leads the US Senate to act. The US House has already passed a law expressly guaranteeing bodily autonomy to women. The US Senate could take it up right now. Of course, it would be filibustered. And even if something passed, there would be a lawsuit, and it would be right back in front of this same Court.
So it comes back to the electoral politics. If the GOP takes the US House and Senate, they will pass a law outlawing abortion nationwide. So it won’t matter whether you live in California, New York, Illinois, etc. All women will lose the right. Democrats simply must turn out in numbers necessary to keep the House and increase the majority in the Senate. It is the only way. Democrats must rise to meet the moment.
*Foster Care and Adoption Month
May marks National Foster Care and Adoption Month. As many of you know, Melissa and I have 3 adopted adult children, and served as foster parents for another 50 + children. We surrendered our license a few years ago after 20 years.
Unfortunately, the need did not go away. In fact, it may be greater than ever. Even if you do not feel you can serve as a foster parent, help us to recruit others. We need families!
You can learn more by visiting Four Oaks Family Connections at: https://iowafosterandadoption.org.
*Carol Spaziani Celebration of Life
Many Salvos readers shared my love and respect for Carol Spaziani. Her son Andrew asked that I pass on some details of Carol’s Celebration of Life services.
The event will be held Saturday, May 21st from 1-5 pm at the Terry Trueblood Event center. All friends of Carol are welcome.
*Zabner for HD90
As Adam Zabner notes, “You shouldn’t have to go two states away to visit your grandchildren.” But the current Legislature treats our young people like a nuisance rather than our future. It is time that we send a young person to Des Moines to fight these battles. Adam Zabner is that young person.
I believe that candidates need to earn their way into elected office. That is why I support Adam Zabner in House District 90. Adam has put in the time and done the hard work. He's lived his whole life in Iowa City, and he cares about us first and foremost. This position is not a stepping stone for him.
Adam has been a dues-paying member of Teamsters 238, and a friend of labor. Please join me in voting Adam Zabner for House District 90.
*ARPA Funds at Work!
Johnson County will expand efforts to improve water quality and flood resiliency in the area through the County’s investment of funds received from the federal government through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
Funding provided by the County will support the development and implementation of an Iowa River Watershed Management Authority (IRWMA). Watershed Management Authorities work to assess and reduce flood risk; educate and engage residents of the watershed; assess and improve water quality; and monitor federal flood risk planning and activities. The development and implementation of the IRWMA will allow for key stakeholders to identify water quality issues, propose solutions, and outline strategies to improve water quality and flood resiliency in the community.
The Iowa River is a tributary of the Mississippi River and passes through a number of counties in Iowa. In Johnson County, it flows through Lake MacBride State Park, the Coralville Reservoir, the City of Iowa City, and the University of Iowa campus, as well as many other local natural and recreational spaces.
The Board of Supervisors voted to allocate $125,000 over the next three fiscal years to support the development and implementation of the authority. Funding for Fiscal Year 2022, which ends June 30, 2022, supports a planning study that will outline next steps for the watershed coalition, including strategies for collaboration and opportunities for future funding.
More information about ARPA and how it impacts Johnson County is available at https://www.johnsoncountyiowa.gov/arpa.
*DID YOU KNOW? Regardless of whether abortion is legal or not, people still require and regularly access abortion services. According to the Guttmacher Institute, a US-based reproductive health non-profit, the abortion rate is 37 per 1,000 people in countries that prohibit abortion altogether or allow it only in instances to save a woman’s life, and 34 per 1,000 people in countries that broadly allow for abortion, a difference that is not statistically significant.
When undertaken by a trained health-care provider in sanitary conditions, abortions are one of the safest medical procedures available, safer even than childbirth.
But when governments restrict access to abortions, people are compelled to resort to clandestine, unsafe abortions, particularly those who cannot afford to travel or seek private care.
Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
"Sullivan’s Salvos" is sent once per week to any interested party. It will give a brief update on issues of interest to Johnson County residents.
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---Rod
posted by Rod Sullivan @ 8:16 AM
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